Monday, April 30, 2012

Here is a look using the Guerlain for Pucci Capri palette and Terra Azzurra bronzer. The bronzer went on smoothly and lasted all day. It wasn't overly shimmery, and it is warm but workable for my skin tone. If you are a very fair and cool toned person, you might want to test this bronzer in person. I used the bronzer portion on my cheeks, forehead and chin. After that, I swirled the colored part and used it as blush.

The Capri palette is bright, but I find that black liner can make almost any color wearable near the eye. The lightest shade has some annoying glitter fallout, but it was easy to tap off my brush before I applied. The deep brown is amazing! It is so smooth, pigmented, and easy to blend. The bright pink is sheer but buildable, and I would love to test it as a blush color. Finally, the shimmering orange is gorgeous.

Next time I want to experiment with only a couple of the colors, but for review purposes I used all four. I think it is a fun and dramatic look for summer.

Friday, April 27, 2012

That is a long title up there, but this is a special bronzer. The details, along with quality, are what make a purchase worthwhile for me. Terra Azzurra Bronzer delivers both!

Encased in a Pucci print pouch of vibrant turquoise and blue, is a heavy wooden case.

The gorgeous colors swirl around a large pan of shimmering bronzer. The lid is magnetic, similar to last year's Terra Inca Radiant Powder.

I swatched the bronzer on the left, the three stripes of color, and then the stripes mixed. The effect is soft and muted with no frost or glitter to be seen.

I don't have many bronzers, but I found my Dior Aurora to be similar, though slightly more peach. The blush stripes in Terra Azzurra are similar to Guerlain Serie Noire, but less pink and also less shimmery.

I haven't had a chance to test Guerlain Terra Azzurra on my cheeks yet. I hope to put a look together featuring the Capri quad and bronzer very soon. From swatching the bronzer, I can tell you it gives a soft natural effect with subtle shimmer. You won't glitter like Edward. I also love the option to use the blush and bronzer separately, or swirl them both together. Guerlain has put together a beautiful bronzer worth the splurge this summer!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

My sister texted me the other day. She was all "LOL OMG U have G2G to Walgreen's and buy some makeup". Okay, maybe she didn't put it that way exactly, but we do the texting like the young kids.

Anyway, she told me the new L'Oreal Infallible eyeshadows were at Walgreen's. I had been out hunting for them the previous day, but I didn't make it far.

I accepted my new mission, and I did what any good mother would do........I promised the children a special treat if they would ride along to another store and be good for just five minutes while mommy picks out her new eyeshadows. Totally worth it! These little babies are gorgeous.

We will start with Golden Sage, which has been on the permanent display of Infallibles.

Golden Sage is less golden, more minty. It is gorgeously rich and shimmery. Periwinkle Cardinal is lighter and slightly more blue. Nouveau Monde is more olive colored.

Gold Imperial (yes I screwed it up in the pictures) is a lovely bright gold.

It is more of a white gold compared to Eternal Sunshine. Half Baked is more reddish. At the last minute, I decided to pull out Chanel Topkapi to compare. It is close, but Topkapi has more yellow in it.

Gleaming Bronze is a gorgeous antique bronze that I couldn't resist!

It is similar to NARS Paramaribo, but much richer with more depth. Bronzed Taupe isn't even close, but I thought it could give a good reference point if you already own it. Rouge Bunny Rouge Abyssinian Catbird is close, but it lacks the strong yellow gold shimmer. Urban Decay Smog is a much redder bronze.

Lastly is the unique Pink Sapphire. In some lights it looks almost iridescent.

In the shadow it looks warmer. I don't have much in the way of pink eyeshadow to compare, but I think this could be close to MAC Rose pigment without the strong golden shimmer.

These all were very pigmented in one or two swipes without fallout. I haven't tested them on my eyes yet, but they seem to have the same smooth texture and rich color payoff of my other Infallible eyeshadows. I would highly recommend stopping by your local drugstore if you already love these potted pigments.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Being a sucker for marketing trendy consumer, I have been on coral and peach overload lately. NARS came out with a new blush for summer that I had to add to my collection.

Liberte is described as a burnished apricot, and I don't have much to add to that description. It is nearly matte, with a touch of shimmer that mostly disappears outside of the pan.

Liberte immediately spotted a couple friends. She is trendy without being ridiculous or overt. Her friend Illamasqua Excite is a bit of an attention seeker though. "Look at me! I am coral! Please validate my existence!" Meanwhile, the demure Chanel Malice is appalled. She actually gasped when she saw Excite's see through top. Malice plays it safe. She is a classic who never follows the trends too closely.

Wait, you don't have scenarios in which your cosmetics are BFFs?

Illamasqua Excite is a truly matte, vibrant coral. Liberte has a touch more brown, and is a nicely muted salmon. Chanel Malice is a pinkish coral with more shimmer than Liberte.

I have yet to test Liberte on my cheeks, but I have high hopes. It was soft and buildable to swatch. The muted quality should translate to a natural bronzed peach on the cheeks. I will try to post a look in a few days to show how NARS Liberte looks on fair skin.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

I have purchased a few more Lancôme Rouge in Loves, and I thought I should picture them all together. My original review can be found here, and pictures of them on the lips are here.

I am still loving these! They are definitely long wearing but feel weightless on the lips.

The texture is like a lighter version of Armani Rouge D'Armani, except when these set they feel lighter. They also have more slip and tend to be less drying on me.

I do wish that Lancôme could ditch the numbers and letter and just use a name. I find it much harder to remember a number, and then names aren't on the bottom of the tube.

Ever So Sweet and Roses in Love both have a subtle shimmer. The rest of the shades are creams.

Ever So Sweet is a shimmering peach. Corail in Love is a corally pink cream. Roses in Love is a cool toned shimmering light fuchsia. Sweet Embrace is a light bubblegum pink cream. Lasting Kiss is a pink beige cream.

These left a stain after I wiped them off, and I had trouble removing it. On the lips they last for at least 6 hours. When I reapply, I do find I need to wipe any residue from my lips to ensure a smooth second coat.

Rouge in Love gives a long lasting and comfortable finish. All of my choices so far have been easily flattering colors. They add brightness without looking harsh and don't leave my lips dry. I also love the beautiful embellished silver tube. Well played Lancôme!

Saturday, April 14, 2012

I did this look about a week ago, uploaded the pictures, and promptly forgot what I used. My poor brain! I do remember that this was to show what Estée Lauder Peach Passion blush looks like on the skin, so there you go.......

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Estée Lauder has a new range of blush called Pure Color. It promises radiant color that won't fade and a natural glow. Does Tom Pecheux make good on his promises? Let's find out......

Firstly, I love that the compact matches the eyeshadow palettes exactly. It helps my OCD brain sleep at night.

Inside is a generous pan that I can freely swirl my brush in. I didn't even test their included brush, I admit. I find that the brushes and applicators inside the compacts are generally useless, although Hourglass and Becca have proved me wrong on that account.

Peach Passion is a Shimmer formula, but it isn't chunky or glittery.

Peach Passion is a warm pink with golden shimmer. I find it more pink than peach, but I love the color regardless.

I was surprisingly lacking in my peachy pink blush offerings, but I did my best.

Chanel Espeigle is a definite peach compared to Peach Passion. Armani Blush #2 is much lighter, almost a highlight on my skin tone.

I found the staying power was not quite all day, but still respectable. The color is soft and buildable, and does give a naturally radiant look. I am loving the color of Peach Passion, and I will be trying at least one more color from this range.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Saturday, April 7, 2012

I recently filled a large box with items that weren't working for me, and I put it aside for a couple months to decide its fate. This month has found me digging in and trying the rejects again. For this look I pulled out NARS Mandchourie Duo and Dior Garden Pastels quint. I think they can both safely find their way back into my makeup drawer!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

What a lazy blogger I have been! I am happy to report that my littlest has a brand new set of ear tubes, so things are quieting down around here. Well maybe I shouldn't use the word quiet.....

Burberry Pale Barley eyeshadow has been something I have been meaning to post about for awhile. This is my first piece of Burberry, and I am impressed!

Pale Barley is an eyeshadow single. It comes in a beautiful and heavy silver compact with a plaid design.

The compact has a magnetic closure. It bears the Burberry name on the edge.

Pale Barley is a light golden beige. It is soft, smooth, and full of gorgeous pigment.

I have been using this daily as the base color for many different eye looks. It goes with any color combination- purples, browns, green, etc.

Here are my closest comparisons:

Sunlight:

Pale Barley is large investment for a single eyeshadow at $30, but cost per use drives the price down significantly. I have used this color many times in the past two months, which is amazing considering the sheer volume of colors I choose from daily. Pale Barley is soft and shimmering without being frosty or in your face. I highly recommend this lovely color!